Daniel Day-Lewis does some serious thinking in the first poster for 'Lincoln'
Steven Spielberg's biopic hits theaters November 9
Daniel Day-Lewis in the poster for "Lincoln."
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It may still be gloriously summery -- where I am, at least -- but I'm feeling an intangible autumnal chill this week, as the upcoming prestige-movie season, and all the awards talk that comes with it, looms ever larger. Venice kicks off the fall festival circuit in exactly one week's time, I'm attending screenings with embargoes signed in blood, and every day seems to bring another new poster, trailer, clip or press release for a film with the O-word on its mind. (Yesterday's announcement of the Golden Globes voting schedule just about had me burying my head under the couch cushions, begging for another few months of sun.)
Today, then, marks the first move in the marketing campaign for "Lincoln" -- a sober monochrome one-sheet that quite clearly establishes, in case you thought otherwise, that Steven Spielberg's presidential biopic (and sight-unseen Oscar threat) won't be reframing Honest Abe's life story as a romantic comedy. It's not a terribly inspired poster, though I suppose it carries the requisite gravitas -- between the shot of Daniel Day-Lewis's artfully made-up profile and the grainily etched black and white of the imagery, it recalls nothing so much as a weathered penny coin in its iconography. That's surely no accident.
What the poster really announces, however, is that a trailer can't be far off. "Lincoln" will be, by my count, the last of the presumed year-end heavyweights to reveal so much as a shred of footage, even though it'll beat many of them into theaters with its early November release date. Whether Spielberg has a "Schindler's List" or an "Amistad" on his hands here is, at this stage, anyone's guess, but in this age of chronic overmarketing, there's a lot to be said for keeping things under your hat.
What do you make of the poster? Where does "Lincoln" rank on your most-anticipated list? Share your thoughts in the comments.
2012-2013 OSCAR PREDICTIONS
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Film Editing
Best Makeup And Hairstyling
Best Original Score
Best Original Song
Best Production Design
Best Sound Editing
Best Sound Mixing
Best Visual Effects
Best Animated Feature Film
Best Documentary Feature
Best Foreign Language Film
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Comments
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupJoe W
August 22, 2012 at 12:45PM EST Reply to CommentWow. If DDL's name wasn't above the poster I would've thought it was just a picture of Lincoln they found. Can't wait to see what comes of a Spielberg-DayLewis collaboration
JLPatt I guess you haven't seen this: http://www.esquire.com/cm/esquire/images/oW/esq-daniel-day-lewis-lincoln-first-look-080712-xlg.jpg
August 22, 2012 at 3:25PM ESTJoe W I have actually
August 22, 2012 at 7:23PM ESTAndrej
August 22, 2012 at 1:10PM EST Reply to CommentI just hope that when this movie comes out there won't be something like "needs more vampires" as a recurrent criticism/punch-line. :(
Joe W Check out other movie websites where this dropped -- it's already happened
August 22, 2012 at 2:24PM ESTmeep
August 22, 2012 at 2:29PM EST Reply to CommentAs a fan of black and white photography, I love the poster. The film is at the top of my most anticipated list along with The Master. Could be DDL and Phoenix duking it out for best actor, but I'm also likely to fall hard for John Hawkes in The Sessions, so my emotional investment in this category is going to be high.
billygilmore77 Could also be DDL v Bill Murray who looks amazing as FDR. A presidential/best actor race?
August 22, 2012 at 4:46PM ESTpitypie
August 22, 2012 at 3:08PM EST Reply to CommentVampire comment here.
But seriously, way more more than DDL, I'm looking forward to the John Williams score. I love when he tackles Americana.
DJ
August 22, 2012 at 4:12PM EST Reply to CommentGeez that is ridiculous how much he resembles Lincoln. Makes you wonder why DDL wasn't Spielberg's first choice. If I recall correctly din't Liam Neeson turn it down?
CaptainCanada Neeson was attached for years, but it took so long to make the project that he dropped out.
August 23, 2012 at 1:50PM ESTGuest Guesto
August 22, 2012 at 5:02PM EST Reply to CommentI'll take another Amistad (which is a brilliant movie) over 99% of other films any day of the week.
But boy, how telling is it, that in setting a range for success you went from a DGA/PGA/multi-Oscar Nominee to a juggenaut winner.
Not a bad place to be at, I'd say.
Guest Guesto
August 22, 2012 at 5:04PM EST Reply to CommentAlso, it's a teaser poster. They are teasing a full face reveal and doing so quite wonderfully. This could become an iconic poster.
330
August 22, 2012 at 6:23PM EST Reply to CommentThere was once a day that I eagerly anticipated Spielberg's movies. The last of his films (that he produced and/or directed) that I really truly anticipated was 2005's Munich...there are people out there (IE: The Awards Circuit website) that really think that this film will be a major Oscar success story. They did the same thing with War Horse. But as the final Oscar tally for War Horse shows, the Academy has fallen out-of-love (sorta) with Spielberg.
The fanboys who clamored that Meryl Streep NEEDED a 3rd acting Oscar (her 2nd as Lead) are now clamoring for a 2nd Spielberg film to win Best Picture....tsk tsk
Patrick It's a shame you're not eagerly anticipating Lincoln because War Horse, with which the Academy has "fallen out-of-love", only managed to get 6 Oscar nods. Must suck being a master filmmaker, having to deal with these kinds of expectations.
August 22, 2012 at 7:45PM ESTBy the way, they're probably clamoring for a 2nd Spielberg Best Director win; he already has 2 Best Picture wins.
Patrick By the way, they're probably clamoring for a 2nd Spielberg Best Director win; he already has 2 Best Picture wins...
August 22, 2012 at 7:48PM EST...major whoops.
CaptainCanada "War Horse" is the only movie he's made since "Munich" that was pitched at the Oscars, and it got six nominations. It's hard to say the Oscars have lost interest in him based on that.
August 23, 2012 at 1:52PM ESTEdwin It's kind of a misconception that Spielberg has *ever* been an Academy favorite. I know that's kind of ridiculous to say considering he's a 6-time nominee, but if you look at the snubs in his career, they're big. Consider:
August 23, 2012 at 3:24PM EST1975- Denied a Best Director nomination for "Jaws" despite it being nominated for Best Picture
1977- Nominated for Best Director, but "Close Encounters" was still denied a Best Picture nomination
1985- No Best Director nomination for "The Color Purple" despite the film having a year-leading 11 nominations and WINNING the DGA award
1987- Snubbed for "Empire of the Sun" despite a DGA nomination
1997- Snubbed for "Amistad" despite PGA, DGA, and Golden Globe nominations
1998- "Saving Private Ryan" loses Best Picture despite winning the PGA, DGA, Golden Globe, BFCA, and several other major awards
2001- Snubbed for "A.I." despite a Golden Globe nomination (okay, this one isn't really telling)
2011- Snubbed for "War Horse" despite a BFCA nomination and Best Picture nods from the PGA, Golden Globes, and BFCA
So really, there have actually been more cases of otherwise award/nominated Spielberg films failing to cross over with the Academy than there have been instances of his films actually scoring with them.
Dooby
August 24, 2012 at 4:39AM EST Reply to CommentHey Guy are you embargoed from saying what day the embargo for Anna Karenina ends?
Guy Lodge What is this Anna Karenina you speak of? I know nothing of Anna Karenina.
August 25, 2012 at 7:38AM ESTGlennAU
August 25, 2012 at 6:38AM EST Reply to CommentThis looks like a poster for Clint Eastwood's "Lincoln", not Spielberg's.